Writing for your blog – keep it simple

As any of my long-time readers probably know by now, as well as anyone who has run a blog for themselves has likely found out, not all methods of writing are created equal or appropriate for any situation.

Blog writing is no exception and thus  is an animal unto itself.

Here are some tips

Blogs tend to be either informative or entertaining:

As such, chances are that your readers/viewers don’t want a challenging read. They prefer to pick up something new quickly and with relative ease.

Don’t write like an academic:

Using an old-school example, print newspapers often feature content geared toward about a 4th grade reading level. Even the elite papers rarely go beyond that of the standard 7th grader. While you don’t want to insult your readers with over-simplistic content, there is no need to write the next War and Peace or  The Odyssey. If a person is looking for something like that, they won’t be coming to a blog to find it.

Avoid being technical:

No, I don’t mean writing about the tech industry. What I mean is that when possible, blog writers should avoid using jargon or terminology related to a specific industry or field. These types of terms and phrases can make for a more difficult read and also turn off anybody who may just be starting to learn about your topic.

Brevity and flow:

With any online resource, keeping your content flowing well and to the point is a major asset for any of your readers. In today’s world, people want quality information in a quick and concise manner.

Last but not least K.I.S.S.:

The acronym K.I.S.S. can  be used as either (Keep It Short and Sweet) or (Keep It Simple Stupid). Both phases are intend to mean that any person trying to convey a message, and in our case blog writers, would be best served by avoiding going overboard with details and keeping the content easy to follow and understand.

 

Good blog posts vs bad blog posts

We all know that one key to a successful blog is quite simply to feature “good” quality posts. But, what is it that distinguishes the good from the not so good and even the downright horrible? It may seem like a complicated issue but it really is not.

As a person educated in journalism and sometimes working among my region’s writers for hire, I’ve always prided myself on writing well. But when it comes to writing blog posts, the concept is an entirely different beast than pounding out an article for a newspaper or writing a report for a college class for example. In cyberspace, people want quick information delivered in an easy to digest manner that is also useful and valuable.

Good blog posts

The keys to a good blog post are:

1. Keep it simple and fairly short. No, I’m not saying to write something that is 200 words and suited to a 2nd grade audience. But, you don’t have to write a novel either.

2. Even if your content is promotional, doing make it so obvious that you turn off your readers.

3. Avoid using large numbers of links in your posts, especially to your own content from another source.

4. Always make sure you use good language and grammar skills.

Bad blog posts

1. These are often either short on content or heavy on repetition and redundancy.

2. Nobody likes excessive self promotion and linking.

3. Poor language skills and grammar can undermine the quailty of even the most interesting posts.

4. These posts usually don’t offer the reader very much at all.

And for those of you out there who either buy or consider buying articles or article writing services from someone else, be very selective. Sure many providers out there offer ridiculously inexpensive rates (like say 2 cents per word or several articles for $5.00), just remember, you get what you pay for.